www.wccc.com.au [email protected]

PO Box 3701 ACT 2611 Telephone (02) 6288 8975

The Committee Secretary Select Committee on Amendments to the Electoral Act 1992 Legislative Assembly G.P.O. Box 1020 ACT 2601 22 November 2014 [email protected]

Submission in Relation to the ACT Legislative Assembly Electoral Boundaries Redistribution 2015

I am writing on behalf of the Weston Creek Community Council (WCCC) in relation to the ACT Legislative Assembly Electoral Boundaries Redistribution 2015.

Council would prefer that the boundaries for the five electorates be based primarily on geographic boundaries. This is our preference and the Electorate Act should be changed to allow this to occur rather than have divided Districts as we have had for most Elections in the ACT.

Given that this is most unlikely to occur, Council suggests the following electorates:

Council clearly wants Weston Creek to remain as one entity. Our connection, if it is with any other settled District at the moment, is with Woden though we are far closer now to the Molonglo District as it develops. This combined Electorate [Weston Creek, Woden and Molonglo] will grow with the development of Molonglo. Based on the projections in the Guidelines for Submissions and current and projected electoral enrolment statistics we see the following distributions:

■ Established 1991 ■ ABN: 52 841 915 317 ■ Weston Creek Citizens Council Inc. ■ Reg. no. A 2637 Weston Creek Community Council is supported by the ACT Government Submission in relation to the ACT Legislative Assembly Electoral Boundaries Redistribution 2015 Nov 2014

2

District Electors at 2016

Belconnen 71055 40446 57183 Weston Creek 17823 Woden 24769 66309 Remaining Districts 2260

Total 279845

Based on the figures here we have an electorate quota of 55969. When we apply the plus and minus 5% from the Electoral Act we have a maximum of 58767 and a minimum of 53170 for the size of an electorate.

In applying this to the twin desires of within Quota and geographical boundaries, the Weston Creek Community Council recommends the following electorates:

1. Tuggeranong – with the loss of Kambah to Woden/Weston/Molonglo.

2. Woden/Weston Creek/Molonglo – Council questions the projections for the Molonglo suburbs of Wright, Coombs and Denman Prospect as being too low though there are sufficient numbers in the quota to allow growth to occur and not be outside the 2016 quota. Coombs Primary School is planned to open on 1 February 2016 with 300 students. As well, development of both Wright and Coombs is well under way and the increase of just over 200 electors in each suburb [Wright 327 to 551 and Coombs 0 to 268] over the next two years seems to be too low.

3. – Should lose the eastern side adjacent to Gungahlin. This would come from moving , Giralang, McKellar, Evatt and Lawson to Gungahlin.

4. Gungahlin – Needs the suburbs above to increase the District to be within quota for 2016.

5. Central Canberra of the Inner North and Inner South – fits nicely into an electorate within quota by 2016.

There will also likely to be increases in the Inner North and South as density increases. There are also moves to increase density in and near the Town Centres in Woden, Tuggeranong and Belconnen. How much these changes in

Weston Creek Community Council Submission in relation to the ACT Legislative Assembly Electoral Boundaries Redistribution 2015 Nov 2014

3 population will make we will see in the Inquiry into the “Proposed Redistribution of the ACT into Electorates for the Legislative Assembly in 2015 prior to the 2016 ACT Legislative Assembly Election”.

However, Council considers that what it has proposed is an ideal template for this Inquiry in 2015 and a great basis for the 5 Electorates proposed.

Finally, Council would like to offer names for each of these electorates. Tuggeranong – keep the name Brindabella Woden/Weston/Molonglo – keep the name Molonglo Belconnen – retain Gungahlin – Gungahlin – call it Gungaderra (creek, homestead), or Gubur Dhaura (ochre quarry) or even Yerrabi Central Canberra or Inner North/Inner South – name Central Canberra or Limestone Plains or Ngambri

Council would be pleased to discuss this submission at any time.

Tom Anderson Chairman Weston Creek Community Council

Weston Creek Community Council Submission in relation to the ACT Legislative Assembly Electoral Boundaries Redistribution 2015 Nov 2014